Rotary engine



y 1932-. E. c. WARREN ET AL. 1,861,168

ROTARY ENGINE Filed July 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY May 31, 1932 E. c. WARREN ET AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROTARY ENGINE Filed July 23, 1928 2 [9 lNVEN OR L I BY gpmmw ATTORNEY y 1932 E. c. WARREN ET AL, 1,861,168

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Jul 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 aul/NVENTR I mm) ATTORNEY Q a a w, 0 a, 00 00 a v N 0. w o. .0 @v Q 3 M. 4

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 31, 1932. E. c. WARREN ET AL ROTARY ENGINE 'Filed July 25, 1928 Patented "May 31,

UNITED STATES" PATENT EDWARD C. WARREN, \TOSEPH HAY AMIES WARREN, AND WOODBUFF W, OF

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, ASSTGNOBS,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WARREN ENGINE COMPANY, OF WILMINQTOH DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ROTARY ENGINE application filed July 23, 1928, Serial No. 284,840, and in Ganaia, Great Britain, and Italy July 18,1823.

Ourinvention relates to engines of the type I wherein an annular expansion chamber is formed between a central rotor and a circular series of rotary abutments in planetary [6' geared relation therewith.

Ordinarily, the joints between such rotors and abutments are rendered steamtightby the pressure of contact of their cooperatlng surfaces. Such construction produces excessive re friction which, of course, minimizes the efficiency ofthe engine. Therefore, the principal object and eflect of our invention are to practically eliminate such friction between the rotor and its abutments, by maintaining 3t them in what may be termed merely grazing contact with ample lubrication of the joints between them, so as to permit the operation of the engine at such high rotative and surface speeds as to realize extraordinarily high to steam economy.

In the embodiment of our invention hereinafter described, the rotor is conical and fitted in a correspondingly tapered .casin and the axes of the rotary abutments are a B justable toward and away from the axis of the rotor to attain the substantially pressureless contact between them above contemplated. Loss of heat from said expansion chamher by radiation is minimized by forming a 80 vacuum chamber within an outer casing, conveniently shrunk on the tapered casing aforesaid and by coating the interior of said vacuum casing and the exterior of the engine with aluminum paint, the exterior casing being polished to reflect inwardly the heat radiation from said expansion chamber.

Said embodiment of our invention includes a variable steam cut-E and a system .ofports,

valves, and operating means for quickly and conveniently reversing the direction of rotation of said rotor.

The construction and arrangement'of the engine hereinafter described are such as to be readily convertible to act as an aircompressor of high efiiciency. \v

Therefore, our invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more specifically described, without limitation to the particular 53 function thereof.

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an engine embodying 'our invention, taken, in the direction of the arrows, on the line 1- -1, in Fig. 3; parts thereof being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of said engine taken, in the direction of the arrows, on the line 22 in Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the left hand end of said engine, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. t'is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the reversing mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the left hand end of the oil pressure regulator indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said oil pressure regulator, as indicated in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale.

7 is a vertical sectional view of said 011 pressure regulator taken, in the direction of the arrows, on the line 7 7 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of said oil pressure regulator taken, in the direction of the arrows; on the line 8-8 in Fig. 5.

In said figures, said tapered casing of the engine is best shown in Fig. '1, including opposite end bearing members 1 having central hollow conical portions which converge toward each other, within the casing member 2; Said member 2 has opposite end flanges 3 connected by tap bolts 3 with said end members 1, and rigidly connects them in axially spaced relation. The inner surface of said casing member 2 is conical, with the larger end thereof at the. left hand side-of Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1; said casing members 1 have opposite end heads 4, which are bolted thereon as indicated in Fig. 3.

As shown in ig. 1, said engine casing member 2 is enclrcled-by the steel reinforcing casing 4 which is conveniently shrunk thereon in hermetically sealed relation and secured by the bolted bands indicated at 4". Said casing 4 being supported against external pressure by the ribs indicated at 2 in. Fig. 1; the several annular chambers thus formed are evacuated to minimize the transmission of heatfrom the annular expansion chamber 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The rotor shaft 6 is conveniently formed in two axially alined sections journaled in said casing bearing members 1, as shown in Fig. 1. The right hand section of said shaft being provided with the flange coupling 6*, and with the anti-frictional roller thrust bearing indicated at 7; said coupling 6 is adapted for connection with mechanism to be rotated, if the structure is used as an engine or for connection with mechanism to drive it if the structure is used as a compressor. Said shaft sections 6 are respectively provided with flanges 8 and 9 at their inner ends, which are rigidly connected with the tapered rotor 10, which has the central web 11 and hub 12 clamped to said flanges 8 and 9 by the bolts 13, shown in Fig.- 1. Said rotor comprises outwardly extending annular flanges 14 at the opposite ends thereof which are tapered to fit the internal conical surface of said casing member 2; said flange 14 at the left hand end of said rotor 10 in Fig. 1 being larger in diameter than the flange 14 at the opposite end thereof.

As shown in Fig. 2, said rotor 10 carries a series of three equally circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting'piston vanes 15 which are tapered to fit the inner conical surface of said casing'member 2.

. As shown in Fig. 2, said casing member 2 has three hollow cylindrical enlargements 16 in which are fitted respective cylindrical rotary abutments 17, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1. Said abutments 17 are in rolling contact with the circumference of said rotor 10 which is cylindrical between said tapered flanges 14. I

Said rotary abutments 17 are journaled on respective stationary tubular shafts 18, one of whichis shown in section in the u per part of Fig. 1 with its opposite ends tted in the flanges of the opposite end casing members 1. Each of said stationary shafts 18 is radially adjustable tdward the axis of said rotor 10 by tap bolts 19 which are radially adjustable in' screw threaded openings 20 in said flanges, as indicated in- Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig.2, each of said" rotary abutments 17 is in contact with the outer circumference of the rotor 10, thus separating the annular expansion chamber 5 into three compartments, in whichthe fluid under pressure may expand between the respective abutments and the adjoining vanes 15 to turn the rotor 10 by said vanes. As shown in Fig. 2; said vanes 15 are shaped as gear teeth to intermesh with corresponding tooth grooves 21 in the respective abutments 17, to permit said vanes to pass said abutments during the rotation of sa1d rotor 10. Each of said abutments 17 has fixed on the left hand end thereof, as indicated in Fig. 1, a planetary gear 22, in mesh with a sun gear 23 fixed on the rotor 10, to maintain said rotor and abutments in properrelation; so that the grooves 21 in said abutments intermesh with the vanes 15 at each rotation of said abutments. However, the cylindrical circumferences of said 'abutments 17 which contact with the cylinthat the circumference of each abutment turns faster than the circumference of the rotor to which it is opposed and there is constant slippage between said surfaces during the relative rotary movement thereof which we find is effective to maintain tighter joints between said rotor 10' and itsabutment 17 than if they were merely in rolling contact. Each of the stationary shafts 18 upon which said abutments 17 are journaled is reduced in diameter intermediate of its length, as indicated at 24 in Fig. 1, to receive lubricant under pressure through the pipes 25 and 26, from any suitable source, such as a pump.

The valve actuating rings 27 are rotatably mounted respectively upon said opposite end heads 4, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 Each of said rings 27 has pivotally connected therewith a nut sleeve 27 in threaded engagement with an adjustable screw 28. Said screws are journaled in respective brackets 28 rigidly connected with said casing members 1, as indicated in Fig. 3, and each of said screws is provided with a hand wheel 29, rotation of which will turn said respective actuating rings clockwise or counterclockwise, at the will .of the operator. Each of said valve actuating rings 27 is pivotally connected with a circumferential series of three crank levers 30, as indicated in Fig. 3. Said crank levers 30 at the left hand end of the engine shown in Figs. 1 and 3, are respectively rig idlyconnected with shafts 31. The similar crank levers 30 at the opposite, rigidhand, end of said en 'ne shown in Fig. 1, are respectively rigi ly connected with shafts 31. The inner ends of said shafts 31 and 31" are eccentric and respectively connected with the ends of resilient flexible valve plates 32 and 33; the opposite ends of which are rigidly connected with the respective end casings 1 by rivets 32 and 33, the former being shown in Fig. 2. Counterclockwise movement of said shafts, with respect to Fig. 2, lifts said valve plates to admit motive fluid to the ports 34- and 35. Said valve plates 32 and 33 are thus adapted to open and close the respective valve ports 34 and 35 shown in Fig. 1, in accordance with the rotary adjustment of said rings 27 to permit a variable cut-off of steam in the operation of the engine. As shown in Fig. 2, said rotor 10 is provided with three pressure inlet ports 36 respectively behind each vane 15 with referenceto the direction of rotation of said rotor and adapted to register with said ports 34 during the rotation of said rotor. The 0 posite end of said rotor 10 is similarly provided with exhaust ports 36 immediately in accrues 4 front of the vanes, adapted to register at predetermined intervals with said ports 35.

As shown in Fig. 1, said inlet ports 34 to 7 the expansion chamber lead from the intake manifold chest 37 to which steam is supplied under pressure through the intake conduit 38. Similarly, the exhaust ports are in communication with the exhaust manifold chest 39 from which they escape through the exhaust conduit 39*.

As shown in Fig. 4, said intake conduit 38 and exhaust conduit 39 are connected by the hollow casing 40, extending horizontally with respect to the engine, which has the intake branch 41 connected with said intake conduit 38 and the exhaust branch 42 at the opposite end in connection with the exhaust conduit 39. However, it is to be understood that fluid under pressure may be delivered to'the engine through said branch 42 and exhausted through said branch 41, if the direction of rotation at the engine is reversed. .lhe cylindrical tubular valve piston 43 is mounted for reciprccatcry movement in said casing and provided with piston heads 44 and 45 at opposite ends thereof by which it may be shifted back and forth, as hereinafter described, to control the admission of steam from-the supply conduit 47. Said pistons are held in s aced relation with said valve tube 43 by re s 46 which adord passageways for fluid between them. Said valve piston 43 includes three completely cylindrical por tions 48, 49, and 50 with fluid ports between them formed by slots between remaining portions 51 of the cylindrical surface of said piston 43. The partition 59 in said part 49 prevents communication between the valve ports upon opposite sides thereof.

The enlargement 54 of said casing 40 is continually supplied with steam from said conduit 47 and pipes 55 and 56 connect said steam supply respectively with chambers at the outer ends of said pistons 44 and 45 under control of the respective valves 57 and 58 which have exhaust vents in the side thereof so that steam may be admitted and exhausted at opposite ends of said casing 40 to shift said valves 43 bv said pistons 44 and 45.

With said piston 43 in the osition shown in Fig. 4, steam is coming rom said conduit 47 into the enlargement 54 and through the ports at 51 on the right hand side'of said partition 59 and thence between the rods 46 connected with the piston 45 and-through the branch 41 to the intake conduit 38 of the engine. The exhaust steam passes from the exhaust conduit 39through the branch 42 and through the piston section 48 and the port between the parts 51 at the left hand side of the partition 59 into the exhaust outlet 61. Of course, by the means above described, said I valve piston 43 maybe shifted to the opposite end of the casing 40, with the effect of reversing the rotation of the engine; in

'branch 42 and exhausted through the branch To insure efiicient lubrication of the engine, we prefer to employ the form of lubricant oil pressure regulator shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, comprising the body 62 having the flange 63 adapted to be bolted upon the outer .tace of the oil pump 64 which is preferably of the gear type and mounted upon the engine head 4 and operatively connected with the engine shaft 6 in any suitable manner.

lnsaid regulator, the pressure of the oil is controlled by the pressure upon it by said pump 64, opposed. by the pressure of steam supplied to the engine; the arrangement being such that the pressure of lubricating oil does not at any time exceed the steam pres sure. When the pressure of oil balances the steam pressure; the oil is by-passed from the discharge to the intake side of the oil pump, instead of being dispensed to the engine, and dispensation of oil to the engine is only resumed when the pressure of oil falls below that of the steam; with the eiiect of continually maintaining the oil pressure equal to the steam pressure in compensation for fluctuations in the latter.

Oil under pressure from said pump 64 enters the regulator body 62 through the inlet port 65 which, as shown in Fig. 7, is connected with the outlet port 66 by the by-pass duct 67 leading to the suction side of the pump 64. Said duct 67 is intersected, intermediate of its length, by the valve seat 68 in which is mounted the reciprocatcry bypass valve 69. Said valve is connected with and operated by the flexible diaphragm 7 O which is secured at its perimeter in the chamber 71 by the cover plate 72 which is connected withsaid body 62 by the tap bolts shown in Fig. 8; whereby the effective area of said duct 67 is controlled. As shown in Fig. 7, ducts 73 and 74 extend in'said body 62 parallel with said duct 67, and are interconnected by vertical passageways 75 and 76. Said passageway 75 has seats for the ball check valves 77- and 78 respectively checking communication from said duct 73 to said duct 67 and from said duct 67 to said duct 74. Said passageway 76 has similar seats for the similarly arranged ball check valves 79 and 80.

Said pump 64 receives oil through the pipe 81, and duct 74 shown in Fig. 7, and dispenses oil through said duct 73 and the pipe 82. Said pipe 82 leads to the abutment bearings and main bearings of the engine, nonveniently through the pipes 83 and fittings 84, shown in Fig. 3.

Figs 7 and 8 show the position of vthe I valves when the pump 64 sucks the oil from the pipe 81 through the ducts 74 and'66,.1iftin the check valye 78 and closing the check va vs 77. The oilreturning under pressure from the pump 64, enters the regulator cas-' ing 62 through the port 65 and closes the check valve 80 but liftsgthe check valve 79 from its seat and thereby opens a clear passageway for the oil to pass through said casing{62 and the pipe 82 to the engine.

owever, when the rotation of the engine is reversed, the position of the check valves is reversed and the port 65 becomes the inlet to the pump and the port 66 the outlet from the pump 64.

As shown in Fig. 8; the duct 85 leads from the duct 7 3 to the chamber at the right hand side of the diaphragm 70 so as to continually subject said diaphragm tothe pressure of the lubricating oil andtending to open said valve,

69. However, said diaphragm is subjected upon its opposite, left hand, side in Fig. 8 to steam pressure through the fitting 86; so that when the oil pressure exceeds that of the steam pressure-upon said diaphragm 70, said valve 69 is opened to permitthe oil to bypass through the duct 67 from, and back to, the pump 64, instead of through the pipe 82 to the engine.-

Said abutments 17 are fitted on the shafts 18 and in opposition to the cylindrical surface of the rotor 10 with the ordinary running clearance ofthree one-thousandths of an inch, the clearance spaces 24 between said shafts 18 and abutments 17 being filled with oil under pressure, as above described. As the relative surface speeds of the contacting parts is. high, the effect thereof is a grazing or polishing action which maintains those surfaces practically vsteamtight but without measurable pressure of one surface upon another and consequently with the minimum amount of friction incidentto the operation of the engine.

We do not desire to limitourselves to the specific details of construction and arrangement of our invention herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of our invention, as defined in the a pended claims.

We 0 aim:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a hollowconical fluid pressure chest having pressure ports in its circumference, and a hollow conical fluid exhaust chest having exhaust ports in its circumference; of respective valve means in said chests movable with respect to the ports thereof for controlling said chest ports; of means, including a us ing between said chests, rigidly connecting them in axial alinement, with their smaller ends adjoining each other and in spaced relation; the inner surface of said connecting casingmember being conical and with its smaller end connected with said exhaust chest; said casing member having a circular series ofcnlargements extending outwardly from its lnner conical surface for housing reexhaust chest; and having at its opposite ends outwardly extending conical flanges fitted to the inner conical face of said casing member connecting said chests; said rotor having an outer cylindrical surface between its said conical end flanges; a circular series of vanes carried by said rotor in the s ace between its conicalend flanges and tted at their outer surfaces to the inner conical surface of said casing member; said rotor having pressure ports and exhaust ports upon respectively circumferentially opposite sides of said vanes, adapted to respectively register with the pressure ports in said pressure chest and with the exhaust ports in said exhaust chest; respective abutment shafts fixed in said enlargements; means for adjustingsaid abutment shafts toward the axis of said rotor; means for preventing rotation of said shafts, including lubricant pipe connections extending in the opposite ends thereof and respectively in coiunumication with the surfaces of said shafts; rotary cylindrical abutments respectively journaled in said casing enlargements on said abutment shafts with their eripheries extending in cooperative relation ,with the cylindrical outer surface of said idly connected with said rotor; planetary gears respectively rigidly connected with said rotary abutments and in mesh with said sun gear; whereby, said abutments are positively rotated, in connection with said rotor, and maintained in cooperative relation with said vanes.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a circular pressure chest having pressure ports in its circumference; of a circular exhaust chest having exhaust ports in its circumference; means connecting said chests in axial alinement and axially spaced relation; a shaft ournaled in coaxial relation with said chests; a rotor ri idly connected with said shaft, between sai chests, and encircling the latter and provided with pressure ports and exhaust ports adapted to register with said chest ports during the rotation of said rotor; a circular tubular casing member encircling said rotor and rigidly connecting said chests and forming an annular expansion chamber between said rotor and said casing member in communication with saidpressure ports and exhaust ports of said rotor; whereby rotation of said shaft and rotor successively establishes communication between said pressure chest and said expansion chamber and between said expansion chamber and saidiexhaust chest; valve means in said chests respectively adjustable to vary the effective area of said chest ports; wherein the valve means for controlling the chest ports include a plurality of flexible plates each fixed at one end to respective chests; valve operating shafts mounted in said chests parallel with the axis of said rotor shaft and having eccentrics engaging the free ends of said valve plates for lifting said plates and opening the chest ports by turning movement of said valve shafts; means connecting said pressure valve shafts in common, comprising a ring mounted to rotate on said pressure chest and an adjusting screw for turning said ring; means for connecting said exhaust valve shafts in common, comprising a ring mounted to rotate on said exhaust chest and an adjustin screw for turning said ring; whereby the e ective area of said chest ports may be in dependently varied by rotation of said screws. 7

In a rotary engine, the combination with a circular fluid chest naving a circular series of fluid portsin its perimeter;of a rotor mounted to turn in concentric relation with said chest and having ports adapted to register with said chest ports as the rotor turns; and means controlling the effective area of said chest ports, including resilient valve plates within said chest and hingedly connected therewith at one end thereof; and means for adjustably lifting the free ends of said valve plates from said ports more or ess.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a circulan fluid chest having a circular series of fluid ports in its perimeter; of a rotor mounted to turn in concentric relation with said chest and having ports adapted to register with said chest ports as the rotor turns; and means controlling the efl'ective area of said chest ports, including resilient valve plates within said chest and hingedly connected therewith at one end thereof; and means-for adjustablylifting the free ends of said valve plates from said ports more or less,

including valve shafts, journaled in said chest, and having their inner ends respectively connected with said free ends of said valve Plates.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a circular fluid chest having a circular series of fluid ports in its perimeter; of a. rotor mounted to turn in concentric relation with said chest and having ports adapted to register with said chest ports as the rotor turns; and means controlling the efiective area of said chest ports, including resilient valve plates within said chest and hingedly connected therewith at one end thereof; and means for adjustably lifting the free ends of of said shaft in common, for simultaneous operation, including levers onthe respective shaft ends, a ring for coaxial relation with said chest and pivotally connected with each of said levers; and means for turning said ring.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

EDWARD C. WARREN. EOSEPH HAY AMIES WARREN. WOODRUFF WARREN. 

